Method and apparatus for the installation of water closets



Nov. i7, 197% A. c. STUDER 3,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF WATER CLOSETS Filed Dec.16, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet l Asa/095M fi-r TOAQAIE v S Nov. 17,. 1970 A. c.STUDER 3,540,054

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF WATER CLOSETS Filed Dec.16, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lum 5'2 i T I 5 :5

INVEKI'IUR. HL TEE C $711052 5 o Ar roQJEyS Nov. 17, 1970 A. c. STUDER3,540,064

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF WATER CLOSETS 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 16, 1968 E :2. L 2 ALTEE (I. STUDE/ZINVIZNTOR.

United States Patent Olfice U.S. Cl. 4252 23 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A method and apparatus for the installation of a water closetto a mounting base so that the water closet is structurally supported bythe base, independent of all plumbing connections. The apparatusincludes a lower flange which is mounted in or beneath the base so as toencompass a closet bend stub (the terminal portion of the drain system).An upper flange is mounted around a top portion of the closet bend stuband a resilient O-ring is disposed between the upper flange and thecloset bend stub. A collar, formed on the upper flange, extends over theupper surface of the base, said collar having a pair of openings formedtherein. A pair of fastening elements extending through the openings inthe collar is attached to the lower flange. The fastening elements havean extended portion adapted for securing the water closet to theinstallation apparatus and, therefore, to the mounting base. The methodincludes the steps of mounting the lower flange around the bend stub bymeans of spacer rings, pouring the base, removing the spacer rings, andthen installing the upper flange and the fastening elements.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a methodand apparatus for the installation of water closets, and particularly toa method and apparatus for the installation of water closets to amounting base so that the water closet is structurally supportedindependent of all plumbing connections.

Insuring a reliable connection between a water closet and a plumbingdrainage system has been a continuous and serious problem to theplumbing trade. Water closet installation methods in which the closet isstructurally supported by the plumbing system, have presenteddifficulties in maintaining the seal between the closet fixture and thecloset bend stub. Attempts have been made to alleviate this seal problemby pouring the concrete floor slab directly against the top of the bend,in concrete type floor installations; in wood type floor installationsit has been attempted to tightly block the top of the closet bend to thefloor system. However in both of these just described schemes, thequality and reliability of the resulting connection (seal) are dependentupon the workmanship involved in securing the closet bend to the floorsystem, and serious inspection problems exist. As a result of theseinadequacies, revised building codes have been proposed in numerouslocales which require that all floor mounted water closets be securelyfastened to the mounting base independent of all plumbing connections.Another prior installation method includes a single ring flange formounting a water closet thereto, with the ring flange being directlyattached to the floor system. However once again a quality controlproblem is involved in preparing the floor system so that a secureconnection between the flange and the floor may be obtained. Thus amethod and apparatus for easily and reliably installing a water closetto a mounting base so that the closet is structurally supportedindependent of all plumbing connections, would be a significantcontribution to the plumbing trade.

3,540,064 Patented Nov. 17, 1970 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly thewater closet installation apparatus, in accordance with the principlesof the subject invention, includes a lower flange mounted in or below amounting base and encompassing a closet bend stub of a drainage system.An upper flange is mounted around the top of the closet bend stub, andthe upper flange has a collar which extends over the top surface of themounting base. A resilient O-ring is disposed between the upper flangeand the bend stub. A pair of openings is formed in the collar and eachone of a pair of fastening elements has a head adapted for passingthrough the openings in the collar and for engaging the lower flange. Anouter end of each of the fastening elements, has a threaded shank whichextends through the opening in the collar, and is adapted for mountingthe water closet. The collar further has a plurality of holes, formed inthe portion extending over the base, adapted for receiving attachmentstuds which secure the upper flange to the mounting base to provideadditional lateral stability.

The installation method in accordance with the principles of the subjectinvention, includes the steps of mounting the lower flange around thebend stub by means of spacer rings, pouring the base, and then removingthe spacer rings and installing the upper flange and fastening elements.

It is, therefore, among the objects of the subject invention, to providea new and improved apparatus for securely mounting a water closet to abase so as to maintain the integrity and reliability of the plumbingconnections.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedapparatus for securely fastening a water closet to a mounting base sothat the closet is structurally supported independent of all plumbingconnections.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method for theinstallation of a water closet which increases the reliability of theseal between the water closet and a drainage system.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a method for theinstallation of a water closet which increases the reliability of theplumbing seals while reducing inspection problems.

Another object of the subject invention is to provide an apparatus forthe installation of a water closet which is both economical andeflicient.

A further object of the invention is to provide an efli cient,economical and reliable method for installation of a water closet toconcrete and wood type mounting surfaces.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method for installationof a water closet so that the installation conforms to the latestproposed bulding codes and specifications.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a method andapparatus for installing a water closet so that the water closet isstructurally supported solely by a mounting base with a minimum ofstress on the plumbing seals.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of thedevice, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafterset forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sideelevational view of a water closet mounted to a floor system.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a lower flange andspacer flange mounted in a concrete type floor system in accordance withthe method and apparatus of the subject invention.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, partially in phantom, ofa water closet mounted to a concrete type floor system by means of theinstallation method and apparatus of the subject invention.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a lower flange that may be utilized in theinstallation apparatus of FIGS. 2, 3 and 7.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 55 ofFIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of an upper flange that may be utilized withthe installation apparatus of FIGS. 3 and 7.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, partially in phantom, ofa water closet mounted to a wood type floor system by means of theinstallation method and I apparatus of the subject invention.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a second embodiment ofa lower flange and spacer ring mounted in a concrete type floor system.

FIG. 9 is a transverse cross-sectionai view taken on the line 9-9 ofFIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a second embodiment ofthe installation apparatus of the subject invention.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary transverse cross-sectional View taken on theline 1111 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a second embodiment ofthe apparatus for mounting the water closet to a wood type floor systemin accordance with the subject invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the embodiments of theinvention which has been chosen by way of illustration, there is shownin FIG. 1, a water closet 10 mounted to a mounting base 12 and connectedto a drainage system 14 which includes a closet bend 16. Reference isdirected first primarily to FIGS. 2 through 7 which illustrate oneselected embodiment of the method and apparatus for installation ofwater closets in accordance with the subject invention. The first stepof the installation method is shown in FIG. 2 wherein an inner spacerring flange 18 is installed around the upper portion of a bend stub 20,and the spacer ring flange 18 terminates in an expanded section 22 thatincludes a collar 24. A lower flange, or O-ring closet flange 26,encompasses the stub 20 and is supported by the collar 24. An outerspacer ring flange 28 is mounted around the inner spacer ring flange 18and above an inner portion of the lower flange 26. The floor slab 30,which may be of concrete type material, is then poured around the top ofthe closet bend stub 20. After the floor slab has cured, the spacerrings are removed. The spacer ring flanges 18 and 28 may be constructedof any suitable material, such as Styrofoam for example, and theStyrofoam spacer rings may be burned away after the floor slab hascured, thereby simplifying the removal step.

After the spacer rings 18'and 28 have been removed, an upper flange 32is mounted around the upper portion of the stub 20 (FIG. 3). The upperflange 32 has a collar 34 which is adapted for extending over the uppersurface of the supporting floor system 12 (or concrete slab 30). Thecentral section of the upper flange 32 has a recess 36 formed therein.The recess 36 is adapted for containing an O-ring 38, which may beconstructed of any suitable resilient material such as rubber, forexample. As seen best in FIG. 6, the collar 34 has a pair of elongatedopenings 40 and 42 formed on opposite sides thereof and a plurality ofholes 43 through 46 formed around the outer perimeter thereof.

Referring momentarily to FIGS. 4 and 5, the lower flange 26 has a pairof elongated openings 50 and 52 formed in opposite sides thereof. On thebottom surface of the flange 26, a pair of recesses 54 and 56 is formedadjacent and normal to the inner portion of the openings 50 and 52respectively.

A fastening element 58 has a square T-shaped head 60 which is adaptedfor passing through the openings 40 and 54 in the collar 34 and thelower flange 36, respectively. After the head 60 is positioned below thelower flange 26, it may be rotated approximately ninety degrees and thenlifted so as to be retained in the recess 54. Similarly the fasteningelement 62 has a square T- shaped head 64 which is adapted for passingthrough the openings 42 and 52 in the upper and lower flanges 32 and 26respectively, and for being retained in the recess 56. The shankportions of the fastening elements 58 and 62 extend through the openings40 and 42 in the collar 34, and are threaded on the outer end thereof sothat the. water closet 10 may be secured by means of mounting nuts 66and 68.

The lower flange 26 has a pair of holes 70 and 72 formed therein (FIG.4) for conveniently mounting the flange 26 to a wooden type floor system71 as shown in FIG. 7. A pair of wood screws 74 and 76 in conjunctionwith the holes 70 and 72, respectively, may be utilized to temporarilyhold the lower flange 26 in position until the installation iscompleted. Also a pair of ring clips 78 and 80 may be used to maintainthe heads of the fastening elements 58 and 62 in the recesses 54 and 56,respectively, until the water closet 10 is secured by the mounting nuts66 and 68. The holes 43 through 46 are designed to receive screws (notshown) or mounting studs (not shown) for wood and concrete type floorsystems respectively, so as to provide additional lateral support to theinstallation.

For installation of the water closet 10 to the concrete floor system 30(FIGS. 2 and 3) in accordance with the principles of the subjectinvention, the lower flange 26 is supported by the inner spacer ringflange 18, and covered by the outer spacer ring flange 28 prior topouring the concrete slab 30, as was explained previously. After theslab 30 has cured, the Styrofoam spacer rings 18 and 28 are burned awayand the upper flange 32 is installed around the upper portion of thestub 20, with the O-ring 38 disposed therebetween. The square headedT-bolts 58 and 62 are next inserted through the openings 40 and 50, and42 and 52, respectively. The bolts 58 and 62, after having beenpositioned so that the heads 60 and 64 extend below the lower surface ofthe lower flange 26, are than rotated approximately ninety degrees sothat the heads are in line with the recesses 54 and 56. Fastening studs(not shown) may be driven into the slab 30 through the holes 43 through46 to provide additional lateral stability to the installation. Anoutlet port 82 of the water closet 10 may be connected and sealed to thestub 20 by any conventional method, and the water closet 10 is securedto the floor 30 by means of the nuts 66 and 68, and the fasteningelements 58 and 62. As the water closet is secured to the floor bytightening the nuts 66 and 68, the heads 60 and 64 of the fasteningelements 58 and 62 contact the recesses 54 and 56 so that the watercloset 10 is structurally supported only by the floor slab 30. TheO-ring 38 provides lateral support to the stub 20, so as to minimize thestresses which could effect the seal between the port 82 and the sub 20.

The installation of the water closet 10 to the wooden type floor system71 (FIG. 7) is similar to that just described for concrete type floors,except that the lower closet flange 26 is mounted beneath the floor andis temporarily secured thereto by screws 74 and 76. Also the springclips 78 and 80 may be utilized to temporarily retain the bolt heads 60and 64 against the recesses 54 and 56, respectively, until theinstallation has been completed by bolting the water closet to theflooring system by means of the nuts 66 and 68.

Reference is now directed to FIGS. 8 through 12 which illustrate asecond selected embodiment of the method and apparatus for installationof water closets in accordance with the subject invention. In thedescription of the second embodiment, parts substantially the same asthose described previously are given like reference numerals and partswhich are similar but significantly different are assigned like numeralsfollowed by a distinguishing reference letter. The first step of theinstallation method for concrete type floors, is shown in 'FIG. 8wherein a spacer ring flange 18a is installed around the upper portionof the bend stub 20. The spacer ring flange 18a terminates in anexpanded lower section 22a which includes a collar 24a. In the uppersurface of the collar 24a is formed an annular recess 19 of a generallysemi-circular cross-section and the upper face of the collar 24a,exterior to the recess 19, defines a ledge 21. A lower flange, or O-ringcloset flange 26a encompasses the stub 20 and is supported on the collar24a. The lower flange 26a has a downwardly protruding semi-circularannular shoulder 27, and a downwardly protruding rectangularly shapedshoulder 29 formed in the lower surface thereof. The annular shoulder 27is adapted for engaging the recess 19 and an annular channel 31 isdefined by the shoulders 29 and 27 and is carried by the ledge 21.

The floor slab 30, which may be of concrete type material, is postedaround the top of the closet bend stub 20. After the floor slab iscured, the spacer ring flange 18a is removed. The spacer ring flange 18amay be constructed of any suitable material such as Styrofoam, forexample; and the spacer ring may be easily removed after the floor slabiscured, by burning away the Styrofam material. As shown in FIG. 9 aninner surface 33 of the spacer ring flange 18a is corrugated so as toincrease the ease of installing the spacer ring flange onto the stub 20and to improve the rigidity of the resulting installation.

After the spacer ring flange 18a has been removed, the upper flange 32is mounted around the upper portion of the bend stub 26 as shown in FIG.and as was described previously relative to the first selectedembodiment. It is noted that the O-ring 38a shown in FIG. 10 is convexlyshaped on the side adapted for engaging and resiliently retaining thebend stub 20.

A fastening element 58a has a J-hook-shaped head 60a which is adaptedfor passing through the opening 40 in the collar 34 and for engaging theannular shoulder 27 formed on the lower flange 26a. Similarly thefastening element 62a has a J-hook-shaped head 64a which is adapted forpassing through the opening 42 in the upper flange 32 and for engagingthe annular shoulder 27 formed on the lower flange 26a. The shankportions of the fastening elements 58a and 62a extend through theopenings 40 and 42 in the collar 34, and are threaded on the outer endthereof so that the water closet may be secured by mounting nuts asexplained previously.

The lower flange 26a may have mounting holes such as mounting holes 70aformed in the channel 31 (see FIG. 11) for conveniently mounting theflange 26a to a wooden type floor system 71 as shown in FIG. 12. Woodscrews such as screws 74a and 76a, in conjunction with the mountingholes, may be utilized to temporarily hold the lower flange 26a in theproper position until the installation of the water closet 10 iscompleted. As explained previously a pair of spring clips 78 and 80 maybe used to maintain the heads of the fastening elements 58a and 62a inengagement with the annular shoulder 27 until the water closet 10 issecured to the installation structure.

With the exception of the engagement between the fastening elements 58aand 62a and the annular shoulder 27, the method of installation of thestructure of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 through 12 is similar tothat described previously for the structure shown in the embodiment ofFIGS. 2 through 7.

Thus there has been described a method and apparatus for economicallyand reliably installing a water closet to a floor system so that thewater closet is structurally supported solely by the floor system. Inaccordance with the subject invention, the stresses on the seal betweenthe water closet outlet port and the plumbing system are minimized toinsure the integrity of the seal. While the invention has herein beenshown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical andpreferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures may be madetherefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limitedto the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope ofthe claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support of theLetters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for mounting a Water closet having an outlet port, to abase so that the outlet port may be connected to a drain pipe, saidapparatus comprising:

a lower flange adapted for encompassing the drain pipe and for attachingto the base below the upper surface of the base;

an upper flange adapted for encompassing the drain pipe, said upperflange having a collar formed on the upper end thereof; and

fastening means for connecting said lower flange,

through said collar, to the water closet.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lower flange has at least oneopening formed therein, and at least one recess formed in the bottomsurface thereof in communication with said opening; said collar has atleast one opening formed therein; and said fastening means includes abolt, having a head adapted for passing through said openings in saidcollar and said lower flange, and for being retained in said recess, andsaid bolt having a shank with a threaded end portion adapted forextending through said opening in said collar, so that the water closetmay be bolt tothe shank and thereby structurally supported by the base.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said openings in said collar andsaid lower flange are approximately of rectangular shape; said recess insaid lower flange is approximately of rectangular shape, with saidrecess being approximately normal to said opening in said lower flange;and said bolt head is approximately of a rectangular shape.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said upper flange has an annularrecess formed in the inner surface thereof, and further comprising arubber O-ring adapted for mounting in said annular recess.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said upper flange has an annularrecess formed in an inner surface thereof, and further comprising aresilient member adapted for mounting in said annular recess.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base is a concerte type floorsystem, said lower flange is adapted for mounting in said concrete typefloor system, and said collar has a plurality of holes formed thereinwhereby said collar may be secured to said floor system.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base is a wood type floorsystem, and said lower flange has at least one hole formed therein, saidhole in said lower flange being adapted for attaching said lower flangeto the lower surface of said floor system; and wherein said collar hasat least one hole formed therein whereby said collar may be secured tothe upper surface of said floor system.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said collar has at least one openingformed therein: said lower flange has a shoulder formed thereon; andsaid fastening means includes a fastener having a head on one endthereof adapted for engaging said shoulder, and a shank on the other endadapted for extending through said opening in said collar so that thewater closet may be attached to the other end of said fastener andthereby structurally supported by said base.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said shoulder is an annular shoulderformed in a lower surface of said lower flange and said fastener is abolt having a head of a hooked configuration.

10. An apparatus for mounting a water closet having an outlet port, to abase so that the outlet port may be connected to a drain pipe and thewater closet structurally supported primarily by the base, saidapparatus comprising:

a lower flange adapted for encompassing the drain pipe and for attachingto the base below the upper surface of the base, said lower flangehaving an annular shoulder formed in the bottom surface thereof;

an upper flange adapted for encompassing the drain pipe, said upperflange having a collar formed on the upper end thereof, with said collarhaving an outer portion adapted for extending over said base, and aninner portion with at least two openings formed therein; and

at least two fastening bolts, with each bolt having a head adapted forengaging said annular shoulder and a shank with a threaded portionadapted for extending through one of said openings in said collar,whereby said water closet may be bolted to said shanks so as to bestructurally supported primarily by said base.

11. The apparatus of claim wherein said upper flange has an annularrecess formed in an inner surface thereof, and further comprising aresilient O-ring adapted for mounting in said annular recess.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said collar has a plurality ofholes formed in the outer portion thereof, said holes being adapted forreceiving mounting studs for securing said collar to said base.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said lower flange has a pair ofholes formed therein, said holes being adapted for temporarily attachingsaid lower flange to the lower surface of said base.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising an annular channelformed in said lower flange adjacent to said shoulder, and wherein saidbolt head is of a hooked configuration adapted for being received withinsaid channel.

15. A method of installing a water closet having an outlet port, to abase so that the outlet port may be connected to a waste pipe and thewater closet structurally supported primarily by said base, said methodcomprising the steps of:

mounting a spacer flange around said waste pipe, said spacer flangehaving a collar formed thereon;

mounting a lower flange on the collar of said spacer flange, so thatsaid lower flange encompasses the waste pipe;

forming said base around said spacer flange and said lower flange;

removing said spacer flange;

mounting an upper flange so as to encompass the waste pipe, said upperflange having a collar formed on the upper end thereof, with said collarhaving an outer portion extending over a portion of the base;

connecting said lower flange, through said collar to said water closet.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said spacer flange is composed ofcombustible materials and said removal step includes burning away saidspacer flange.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said lower flange has an annularshoulder formed thereon, said upper flange has at least one openingformed therein, and said connecting step includes the steps of:selecting at least one bolt having a threaded shank on one end and ahooked head on the other end; placing said other end of said boltthrough the opening in said upper flange; and engaging the hooked headof said bolt on said annular shoulder in an anchoring arrangement sothat the threaded shank projects above said opening in said upperflange.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of placing aresilient O-ring between the inner surface of said upper flange and thewaste pipe.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of attaching theouter portion of said collar of said upper flange to said base.

20. A method of installing a water closet having an outlet port to awooden type floor system having a waste pipe mounted through saidsystem, so that the outlet port may be connected to the waste pipe andthe water closet structurally supported by said base, said methodcomprising the steps of:

mounting a lower flange, having at least one hole formed therein, aroundsaid waste pipe below said floor system;

temporarily attaching said lower flange to the under surface of saidfloor system by means passing through said hole in said lower flange;

mounting an upper flange around an upper portion of the waste pipe, saidupper flange having a collar formed on the upper end thereof, with saidcollar having an outer portion extending over a portion of the floorsystem;

connecting said lower flange, through said collar to said water closet.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said lower flange has an annularshoulder formed thereon, said upper flange has at least one openingformed therein, and said connecting step includes the steps of:selecting at least one bolt having a threaded shank on one end and ahooked head on the other end; placing said other end of said boltthrough the opening in said upper flange; and engaging the hooked headof said bolt on said annular shoulder in an anchoring arrangement sothat the threaded shank projects above said opening in said upperflange.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of placing aresilient O-ring between the inner surface of said upper flange and thewaste pipe.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising the steps of attaching theouter portion of said collar of said upper flange to said base.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 952,602 3/ 1910 Candee.

2,837,750 6/1958 Robinson 4252 2,908,513 10/1959 Karlinski 285.58

3,339,215 9/1967 Flood 4252 3,012,252 12/1961 Gaddy 4252 LEONARD H.GERIN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

